Abstract

Objectives(1) To describe the prevalence of IgA deficiency (IgAD), uveitis, coeliac disease (CD) and thyroid disorders in a multicentre cohort of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and (2) to assess whether patients with JIA and IgAD have additional autoimmune disorders more frequently than patients with JIA and normal serum levels of IgA. MethodsRetrospective chart review of a cohort of patients with JIA managed in the paediatric rheumatology units of 2hospitals in Madrid, Spain. ResultsThis study included 193 patients, 123 (64%) female. The median age at disease onset was 5.6 years (IQR 2.5–9.7) and the median duration of followup was 5.1 years (IQR 2.2–8.1). The 3most common categories of JIA based on the ILAR classification were oligoarticular (53%), poliartritis RF-negative (20%) and enthesitis-related arthritis (10%). Serum IgA levels were available in 172/193 (89%); 25/172 (15%) had selective (<7mg/dl, n=8) or partial (7-69mg/dl, n=17) IgAD. All patients underwent periodic ophthalmic examinations. Eighteen children (9%) had anterior uveitis, which was chronic in 15 and acute in 3. Serum levels of anti-transglutaminase IgA, or IgG in IgAD were obtained in 135/193 (70%). Four children (3%) were diagnosed with CD either by intestinal biopsy (n=3) or by the combination of characteristic clinical, serological and genetic features (n=1); 2of them had IgAD (OR=6.4; 95% CI, 0.9–47.6; p=.12). Only 1 of these 153 patients (0.7%) had hyperthyrotropinaemia with positive anti-thyroid antibodies and required replacement therapy. ConclusionPatients with JIA frequently present autoimmune comorbidities. IgAD does not seem to increase their prevalence, with the possible exception of CD.

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